Nugget Prowling the Dowling

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I promised to post another trip...ultimately the last for my H3. This is the first part where I did the Dowling Track which follows the path of an early explorer/adventurer/cattleman Vincent James Dowling.
In 1859 he drove 1,200 Herefords to a station he established on the Darling River which he named Fort Bourke. By 1862 he was a Magistrate in both New South Wales and Queensland but the wanderlust was setting in again as the Darling was getting “too civilized”. So Vinnie traced the Paroo and Bulloo Rivers to their origins for a lark. By 1867, with partner George Cox, they had leased over 3367 km² in the Warrego region. Apparently not everyone was happy to see him and in one incident was saved by his “long American hat” from an Aboriginal spear.

In 1867 he took wife Fanny and newborn child to Thargomindah and established Thargomindah station….Fanny was the first white woman in the area and he the first magistrate. When he sold in 1874, the station had 129km of river frontage on the Bulloo and 2,590km² of grassed mulgo ridges and salt bush plains with a fine herd of his favoured Herefords.”

No wonder ‘V.J.D’ was the man and now here I was, 150 years later, trundling along his old stamping ground.

No shortage of signs...now which way????

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One of the great parts of touring is running into mates unexpectedly......anyway....who said I didn’t have any mates!

Royal Mail Hotel Hungerford where the stubbies are cold and the advice free...I love this old pub and drop in every chance that I get

Originally built in the 1880’s the Rabbit Fence has had several re-incarnations morphing into the Dingo Fence in 1914 when it was raised to 6 feet high whilst maintaining its rabbit proof status. More recently the name changed again to the very politically correct sounding Wild Dog Barrier Fence, allegedly after a complaint to the Discrimination Court by an upset pure bred Dingo seeking compensation for mental trauma as a result of being categorized with mongrel bitzers. . At its peak, it ran 8,614 kms and today is still the longest fence in the world running 5,614 kms from the Darling Downs to Eyre Peninsular.

Great care needed approaching wet and slippery Grids...there was a tendency to slide into tracks giving a very un-nerving bum wobble as the 3 approached these narrow cattle grids resulting in some sphincter clenching moments.

2 new front tyres and 2 older ones on the rear show which work better. 4 newies should have been the go.

 

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The sloppy mud slide off in 4 kg cow pats

Beer o’clock Kilcowera style. Kilcowera is a large cattle station I stayed at overnight.

The trusty tripod and plate with wood supplied had the tucker bell ringing at Kilcowera

This bush sunset – wonder what the poor people were doing!

You just have to...don’t you?

When I entered the road at Hungerford it was open but a bit more rain and they changed their mind so when I exited at Thargomindah the “Road Closed” sign was up.

 

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Following the tracks of Cobb & Co coaches of yester year at Thargomindah...sort of our version of your stage coaches..this stone causeway was originally built in the 1880’s and I was lucky enough to be there when the water was flowing.

Toompine – The Pub with no Town! This pub was built in 1893 and not too much has changed. The manager is mad as a cut snake and it has cold beer and the best steaks in Queensland...man would be a mug not to stop and blow the top of a couple!

End of the road

Just after this sign I came to a “T” junction. Right took me home and left further outback. I sat and pondered which way to go...the rain meant the possibility of more closed road and lousy weather. I considered cutting my loses and just heading home but ultimately decided to turn left and continue the adventure....wrong move.....it took me to the town where the local copper defected the 35’s and Rancho Lift!

 

[06 H3]

the historic places down in australia is so cool!